Harry Potter and the Power of One
by The Shadow of Fantasy
Summary: AU Sixth Year. Voldemort is on the rampage, and sources say he is planning on stepping up his game to kill Harry. Protection at Privet Drive is strengthened tenfold, and a deadly summer ensues. Harry begins his Sixth Year with a new perspective after tragedy strikes. If Voldemort wants a war, he's going to get one. UPDATED WEEKLY.
1. A Dudley Situation

**Harry Potter and the Power of One**

**Chapter 1: A Dudley Situation**

Full Summary: AU Sixth Year. Voldemort is on the rampage, and sources say he is planning on stepping up his game to kill Harry. Protection at Privet Drive is strengthened tenfold, and a deadly summer ensues. Harry begins his Sixth Year with a new perspective after tragedy strikes. If Voldemort wants a war, he's going to get one.

A/N: Hi guys! I'm kind of new at this, so go easy on me! This will be a fairly long story, and since I'm just finishing school and have exams to study for, it will be updated every 1-2 weeks. I hope you all enjoy it! Please Review, as I need them to feed my muse!

Disclaimer: As you can see, I'm not J.K. Rowling. If I was I wouldn't be writing on here! All recognizable characters and themes belong to the lovely Queen Rowling, and anything you don't recognize came from me. I'm just playing in her sand box!

* * *

Fifteen-year-old Harry Potter lay in his small bedroom at Number Four, Privet Drive, staring listlessly at the ceiling. He had only been at the Dursley's for a week since summer break began, yet it seemed like months to him. You see, Harry Potter wasn't a normal teenage boy. No, he was a wizard. A famous wizard for having "killed" a Dark Lord when he was a baby, and one that is destined to save the entire wizarding world. He was most commonly known as the "Boy-Who-Lived", The Youngest Seeker in a Century, and now the "Chosen One". His school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had just ended for the summer. Every summer he was forced to come back and spend weeks with the Dursleys. His only living relatives. However, they didn't enjoy his company very much. The feeling was mutual.

'_Maybe if I had remembered to use the stupid mirror, Sirius would still be alive,' _Harry thought, rolling over to check the time. The clock on his bedside table glared back at him, _2:04am._ Harry groaned and rolled back over. He was grieving the loss of Sirius Black, his Godfather, who had died in the Department of Mysteries just weeks earlier. Every time Harry went to sleep, all he could see was his Godfather's accusing face staring back at him in his nightmares.

'_I'm such a git__ for letting it happen. Hermione's right, I do have a saving-people thing, and it's just getting everyone I care about killed.'_

Harry laid there for another half hour, throwing what-ifs and blames back and forth, until his eyelids finally began to droop. _'Well, I haven't slept hardly at all since I got here…' _With that thought, he drifted into an uneasy sleep.

**~.~.~.~**

Harry awoke at the sprightly hour of 7:00am, having not the slightest chance at a peaceful slumber. Since it was Monday and his Uncle would be working, he figured getting up early was a good thing. After all, cooking breakfast wasn't something Uncle Vernon usually did, nor Aunt Petunia, at least not when he was there.

"BOY! Get down here and start the bacon and eggs! Your Uncle needs to leave soon!" Came the irritable shriek of Harry's Aunt Petunia. Harry hastily threw on a shirt and darted down the stairs, an annoyed scowl on his face.

"What took you so long, boy? Writing letters to those freakish friends of yours?" Uncle Vernon addressed Harry with a distasteful frown, sitting at the kitchen table with a newspaper in front of him.

Harry got the bacon and eggs started, then walked over to where his Uncle was sitting. He carefully controlled his anger before he answered, "No, Uncle Vernon, I was just getting dressed," His Uncle set the paper down and glared at Harry.

"Now, boy, don't you take that tone with- What are you doing?!" Uncle Vernon cut off as Harry snatched up the paper, his eyes wide in shock.

**Local Family Killed in Mysterious Car Crash**

A family of four was travelling along the West road in London, when suddenly there car swerved off the road and landed in an off-road ditch. The family, described to be out-going, friendly, and helpful by their neighbours, seemed to have no reason for going off the road. The driver, the father known as Michael Creevey, had no impediment such as being drunk or careless. The driver had a clean record with the police, and no incidents like this were ever reported with this family.

The others that died were Michael's wife, Priscilla, and their two young children, Colin and Dennis Creevey. They are reported to have been coming back from a relative's home. The family members were residents of London, and were seen frequently helping out in the community.

"Their car just swerved right off the road, and all of them seemed shocked, like they had no control over it…" Stated one witness, who was crossing the street in front of them at the time.

A memorial will be held on Sunday to pay respect for the Creevey family, outside of their home in London.

For more details on this mysterious incident, see Page 3.

For the obituaries of the victims, see Page 7.

Harry put down the paper then, thoughts racing through his mind a mile per minute,

'_Colin Creevey… No. Surely he was annoying, but he didn't deserve this.'_

'_Dennis Creevey… I didn't know him that well, but I know he didn't deserve this.'_

'_Their mum and father… They didn't deserve this either, none of them did! Why does this always happen to innocent people? It was the Death Eaters, no doubt… I'M GOING TO KILL VOLDEMORT.'_

"Yes, boy, there are lots of mysterious things happening these days, but that doesn't give you a reason to snatch my paper and stare into space like that! NOW FINISH BREAKFAST BEFORE YOU BURN IT!" His Uncle roared at him.

"Uh, right… Sorry…" Harry trailed off, still distracted, as he went to get the bacon and eggs for his Uncle.

**~.~.~.~.~**

Harry sat at his desk, a quill in hand. He couldn't stop thinking about Sirius, and now Colin and Dennis, so the least he could do, he thought, was try and work on his unnecessarily long Potions essay assigned by none other than Professor Snape.

'_Greasy git. This essay is ridiculous,' _Harry thought as he angrily jammed his quill down on the desk. He just couldn't focus right now, least of all on a stupid Potions essay.

A knock on his bedroom door snapped him out of his thoughts. His Uncle was at work and Aunt Petunia was grocery shopping, so the only person that can be is…

"Dudley? Uh, come in?" Harry said awkwardly.

The door was pushed open and the overly chubby figure of Dudley Dursley stepped into his room. He stood there in front of the door, awkwardly looking around the room, before he finally spoke. It was something Harry would have never expected to come from his cousin's mouth.

"Th-thank y-you…" Dudley stuttered at him.

Harry gaped, simply staring at Dudley.

"I mean, thank you for last summer. When you saved me from those things. Uh, well, it was really scary and I thought we were done for… But you did m-magic even though you're not supposed to in the summer, just to save me and I guess… you'renotasbadasIthoughtyouwereandI'msorryfortreat ingyoubadly," Dudley sped off.

Harry hardly caught the last thing Dudley said, as he rushed it so, but once Harry had comprehended everything Dudley said, he smiled. For once in their lives, they both were genuinely smiling at each other.

"Well, you're welcome Dudley. It was the least I can do and I guess… I forgive you for all those years of bullying. It's not like me to hold a grudge, after all," Harry replied.

Dudley nodded.

"Well, um, do you maybe want to go to the park and play football for a while? My friends are all on vacation, so they won't bother us," Dudley asked.

"Sure, just let me write a quick letter and then I'll meet you downstairs," Harry said.

Dudley left the room, and Harry, feeling a little odd about what had just happened, got out a new quill and a piece of parchment. He hadn't written to Ron for a few days, and he didn't have to write to Hermione since she and her parents were in Florida for the next week.

_Ron,_

_Hey, mate! Sorry I haven't written in a while. You know the Dursley's, work, work, work. Don't worry, though, I'm fine. How are you and your family? I hope you're enjoying your summer. I'm sorry about the Department of Mysteries in June, too… I almost got you killed! All because of a stupid vision. I hope you don't think I'm a git after all that. I'm really glad you're OK._

_Well, I have 2 things to tell you. First, I know you don't get the muggle papers so I don't know if you heard of this yet but… Colin Creevey and his family are dead. Him, his brother, and his parents. Their car sped off the road last night for no reason at all, and they fell into a ditch. I'm still in shock, they didn't deserve anything like that, and it was obviously the Death Eaters behind it. Words can't even express how angry I am right now! It's truly horrible that they need to kill muggles and muggle-borns for enjoyment._

_Well, my second thing is… Dudley. Just a few minutes ago, Dudley came in and thanked me for saving him from the Dementors last year, then said he doesn't think I'm all that bad and apologized for bullying me in Primary School. Can you believe it? Then he asked me to go to the park and play football with him (muggle sport), so I guess I'm going to._

_Also, do you know if I can come and stay with you and your family soon? I really hate it here. Talk to Dumbledore and whatever you need to do, but I just really need to get out of here!_

_Write back soon!_

_Harry_

_P.S. Can you please feed Hedwig when she gets there? I haven't got a lot of owl food and treats left, and I figure those are better for her than human food scraps. Thanks._

Harry set down his quill and sealed the letter in an envelope, smiling. Things were really turning around. Maybe he and Dudley could get along, after all. After all the years of bullying and hating each other, maybe they could at least establish some sort of understanding between them.

Harry walked over to Hedwig's cage and opened it. Hedwig, in all her pure white-feathered beauty, soared out of her cage and landed on Harry's shoulder, nipping at his ear affectionately. She then got off and landed on the window still, holding out her leg and giving him a look that clearly said, _hurry up already._

Harry hurried and tied the letter to her leg, remembering that Dudley was waiting for him downstairs. As Hedwig hooted and soared off into the evening sky, Harry grabbed a jumper and started downstairs.

**~.~.~.~**

Harry and Dudley walked out of Number Four, Privet Drive, moving toward the park in comfortable silence. It was a dreary evening, only 5:00 with dark clouds and fog already hanging in the air, making it slightly harder to see everything in front of them.

"Want to run down to the park and kick the ball between us?" Dudley asked.

"Er, sure," Harry replied, slightly uncomfortable. He hadn't played football since PE class in Primary school, so he wasn't sure if he still retained his decent skill with it.

As they began to run down the path while kicking the black and white ball back and forth, Harry realized, even though he missed a kick here and there, that he was still fairly good at it. Dudley, however, bested him. Dudley still played it much more often than Harry did.

When they reached the park, Dudley suggested that they take turns taking shots on each other. Harry went in the net first, and had success at blocking all but three of Dudley's shots, one of which had painfully hit him in the shin.

"Good job, Harry! You're not as bad as I expected. No offense," Dudley added, seeing Harry's slightly irritated expression.

"Thanks… I guess I still remember the basics from PE class," Harry replied.

As Harry was moving so Dudley could take his turn in net, he thought he saw a slight rustling in the bush across from them. He peered at it for a good few seconds, but didn't see anything else. Of course, that wasn't very odd to him. It was most likely an Order member watching him.

Harry put the ball on the ground and stood behind it, making sure to position himself correctly and give Dudley a hard kick. Maybe, just maybe, Harry could overpower Dudley with his kicking and get a few goals. He pulled his leg back and kicked the ball, hard. Dudley looked shocked for a second that Harry could kick the ball so well, but then Dudley kicked it back with equal force. Harry wasn't expecting that, and before he could block or catch it, the ball hit him smack in the middle of his forehead.

Well, at least the park was empty. Or so he thought.

"Oof!" '_Ouch! That was a little too hard,' _Harry thought as he painfully collided with the ground. He had landed on his side, and his arm was stuck under him. Thankfully, aside from some glasses that were jostled to the edge of his nose, and a thudding headache, Harry seemed fine.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to kick it at your head so hard like that!" Dudley yelled, running as fast as he could over to Harry, which wasn't exactly fast at all.

Harry was about to sit up, as the headache had subsided slightly, when he noticed someone standing above him. He looked up, and was surprised to see a familiar head of bubble-gum pink hair. Nymphadora Tonks was staring down at Harry with a flustered, yet concerned look on her face.

"Wotcher Harry, you alright there? I was watching you from the bushes over there and saw that football smack you down. You startled me a bit," Tonks said, extending her hand to help Harry up.

"Yeah, I think I'm alright. Thanks, Tonks," Harry replied, grinning while returning his glasses to their proper position.

Tonks was peering hard at him, as though trying to discern that he really was OK by just looking at him. She looked straight into his emerald green eyes, and seemed to figure out that he wasn't lying to her.

"Hm, well if you're sure," Tonks said, smiling at him.

'AHH! Wh-who are you?" Dudley screeched, one hand going to his overly large bottom, and the other pointing an accusing finger at her.

"Nymphadora Tonks, just here to guard your fantastic cousin," Tonks said, winking at Dudley and ruffling Harry's unruly hair.

"It's OK Dudley, she won't bite," Harry added.

Dudley still looked suspicious, but nodded. A loud ringing noise startled all of them, and Tonks pulled out her wand, frantically looking around.

"Oh, that's my cell phone…" Dudley said, pressing the 'talk' button. "Hello?" he asked.

"Mhm, oh, alright I'll be right there," Dudley replied, then hung the phone up and put it back into his pocket.

"It was Piers, he's back from vacation early. I should probably go, because I know you won't want him to come here, Harry. Can you let my mum know? Thanks! Bye," Dudley said, turning and stalking off down the path that lead to Mongolia Crescent.

"Piers?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah, that's one of his friends that used to bully me with Dudley while we were in muggle school together, it's a long story," Harry added, not wanting to talk about his past at all.

"Alright," Tonks said with a frown, "Well, why don't I walk you back to your house? I could use some company, and so could you."

"Alright."

Together, they walked back down the path that lead to Privet Drive. They remained silent for most of the time, both lost in their thoughts. Harry had to constantly wipe mist off his glasses, as the fog was getting thicker by the minute. Harry had realized Tonks was acting more jumpy than usual, so he decided he might as well ask her about it.

"Tonks, I noticed you're acting a little strange… Is there something going on? Is it Voldemort?" Harry whispered.

Tonks flinched slightly at the name. "It's not really my place to tell you, Harry… But I will say this. You-Know-Who is stepping up his game, there have been more and more attacks these days. So, of course we want to make sure you stay safe. You can expect a lot more Order members hanging around here."

Harry scowled. He didn't like being treated like a defenceless child. "Well, when can I leave the Dursleys? I really want to get out of here."

"I know Harry. Dumbledore said something about writing to you soon, so you can expect a letter from him. If I know Dumbledore, he'll let you know about that and much more as soon as he can," Tonks told him as they walked up the steps to Number Four.

Harry sighed, slightly frustrated. "All right, Tonks. Thanks for everything. So, I guess I'll see you around?"

"Yeah, of course! I am part of the Order, so we'll be seeing lots of each other I suppose. Now you get inside. Bye, Harry," Tonks replied, swinging the invisibility cloak around her shoulders.

Harry took a deep breath and walked inside, running a hand through his messy black hair. He was not looking forward to the next few weeks with the dreaded Dursleys at all.

* * *

A/N: Review please! Next chapter will come soon. I wasn't planning on any pairings for this story, but if you want any, let me know and I might consider it. Also, please note that the tragedy mentioned in the summary is NOT the Creevey family's deaths, although that is sad too...


	2. OWLs and Letters

**Harry Potter and the Power of One**

**Chapter 2: OWLs and Letters**

A/N: Alright, so this chapter came earlier than expected. I was just really bored, since I have a few days to go until my exams and no more school days, so I just thought, why not sit down and write the next chapter? So I did. Hope you enjoy! Don't worry, this is the last "light-hearted" chapter. The next one is when the action starts!

Disclaimer: Hmm… *inspects myself* No British accent. No fame. No riches. Not an author of a famously awesome book series. Dang, I still haven't magically transformed into J.K. Rowling! Everything you recognize from the HP series belongs to her, the only thing I own is the plot of this story.

Thank you to my first 3 reviewers! This **extremely early **chapter is just for you!

jakefan: Thank you, I promise it will get interesting! Here's the next chapter, extra early!

jkarr: I thought it was nice, too. I mean, after all that the least Dudley could do was apologize, so I made him!

gonekrazy3000: Hm, Harry/Hermione? I do like that pairing. I'll ponder it and think about how I could fit it into the story, and I'll let you and everyone else know about my decision in the next chapter!

* * *

Harry was once again sat up in his bed, utterly bored. On his left he had a steaming plate that held a small portion of chicken and potatoes for his dinner. His Aunt had yelled at him for coming in "too late" when he entered after leaving Tonks, even though she seemed perfectly content with Dudley going off to his friend's house.

His Uncle was still at work for a good hour or so, so Harry was taking the opportunity to lounge around before he was yelled at to do some sort of work. He hadn't gotten any of his new school books yet, so he didn't have anything new to read. He was reading his copy of Quidditch through the Ages for the umpteenth time. He still didn't think he could handle the Potions essay, and he had yet to get a reply from Ron.

'_Quidditch positions… The Seeker is responsible for catching the Golden Snitch… The team known as the Chudley Cannons has not won a game for some time… Yeah, yeah, I know this stuff already,' _Harry thought, ending with a loud yawn.

Harry set down his book and took the last spoonful of creamy potatoes before setting his plate on to his desk. He really didn't feel like facing the wrath of his Aunt once again, so taking it down to the kitchen later would be the best option. Just then, a sharp peck and a familiar song floated through the air from outside his open window.

Harry jumped off his bed and ran to the window, surprised at what he saw. There on the window sill sat Fawkes, Dumbledore's beautiful phoenix that had saved Harry's life in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry opened the window to allow the phoenix in, and only when Fawkes settled on top of the desk chair did Harry notice the envelope in his (Fawkes's) beak.

Petting Fawkes atop his head and gently taking the letter out of the envelope, he immediately noticed Professor Dumbledore's loopy penmanship.

_Dear Harry,_

_How are you, my boy? I trust Fawkes will not cause too much trouble while he delivers this letter. I have a few things to talk to you about, and I wanted to start with the Department of Mysteries. If I know you, and I'm confident I do, you are most likely blaming yourself immensely for Sirius's death. You feel as though it is all your fault and that you should have died instead of him. Harry, I don't want you to think for one moment that any of that was solely your fault. It was not. I already told you that I take the blame for Sirius, as I had not told you anything throughout the whole of last year. If I had warned you of Voldemort's supposed intentions, it all could have been prevented. However, your friends are safe, and they do not blame you either. So please stop feeling so bad about it. It will not help your health. Sirius, I, and the Order, we all came to your aid with the same intentions: to save you and your friends from Death Eaters. We all knew the risks and that some may not survive, but we went anyways. It was our decision. All Sirius wanted was to protect you, and he happily gave his life so that you may continue to live yours._

_I also know you may still feel guilty about destroying my office in your anger, and I want you to know that I never was, nor am I now, angry at you. I am not disappointed either. I know you needed some way to release your pent up anger, and that was perfectly acceptable to me. You cannot be expected to be strong all the time, Harry. No need to worry, my office is back to its original state now._

_On a lighter note, I do realize your birthday is in two weeks. As I know you will not want to spend that day, nor any more, with your relatives, I have arranged for some Order members to come and get you on the night of July 30, at precisely 11:00pm. Be ready then. The Weasleys wrote me and mentioned you had wrote to Mr. Ronald Weasley wondering when you could come at stay with them. They are actually staying at Headquarters for the time being, and as that is where you will be going, you will get to see them. When they return to the Burrow, you may go with them as well._

_I also feel it may be best for you to resume Occlumency lessons. Before you throw this letter down in disgust, please know that I plan to teach you myself, as I know the first time with Professor Snape was quite the catastrophe. I know you do not get along well, Harry, but I ask you to try and be civil with each other, as Professor Snape will be occasionally stopping in at Headquarters for meetings._

_I have much I need to discuss with you in person, but that can wait until your arrival. Don't forget to be ready for pickup on the 30__th__._

_Wishing you the best,_

_Professor Dumbledore_

_P.S. I think you can be expecting your OWL Results any time now. I must say, I think you will be pleased with them!_

Harry put down the letter and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. Dumbledore truly could read him like a book at times. He was feeling guilty about Sirius's death, and nothing was going to change that. He missed him a lot. However, knowing that Dumbledore wasn't angry with him after he had destroyed the office only a mere month ago was a weight off Harry's shoulders. The letter has also alerted him that his birthday _was _indeed in two weeks. Today was Monday… So it was July 8th.

Harry set the letter down on his desk, finally noticing that Fawkes had left. Harry thought he needn't reply anyway, as he would be seeing Dumbledore in a few weeks. He bent down to pick up his discarded Potions book, intending to finish the dreaded essay to get it over with, when another noise at his window made him sigh frustratedly and stand up once again. As he opened the window, a letter was dropped into his hands. It was a Ministry envelope and from an owl he did not recognize, which was now flying out the window once again. This could only be one thing.

OWL Results.

'_Well, I know I couldn't have done well in Astronomy or Divination… I couldn't have gotten an O in Potions. Not possible. Well, maybe…' _Harry's thoughts trailed off as he opened the envelope and began to read.

_**Ordinary Wizarding Level Results**_

_**Student: Harry James Potter**_

_**Passing grades:**_

_**O- Outstanding**_

_**E- Exceeds Expectations**_

_**A- Acceptable**_

_**Failing grades:**_

_**P- Poor**_

_**D- Dreadful**_

_**T- Troll**_

_Results for Harry James Potter:_

_Astronomy- A_

_Care of Magical Creatures- E_

_Charms- E_

_Defence against the Dark Arts- O*_

_Divination- P_

_Herbology- E_

_History of Magic- D_

_Potions- O_

_Transfiguration- E_

_*: Honours award. Student has achieved the highest OWL score for a student in their year._

_Approved by: _

_Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour_

'_An O in Potions?!' _Harry thought incredulously, as he set the letter down on his desk next to Dumbledore's. It was surprising. However, Harry thought he was rather good at Potions when he didn't have the bat-like figure of Snape breathing down his neck and watching for simple mistakes to punish him for. This was great news, now his dream of becoming an Auror could still come true.

'_That is, if I can survive another 2 years of Snape and manage to pass my NEWTs somehow,' _Harry thought, a scowl immediately appearing on his face at the thought of Snape.

'_Rufus Scrimgeour? Must be the Minister that replaced Fudge… Good riddance, I say. Hopefully he has a brain and knows how to use it, unlike Fudge,' _Harry thought as he finally settled into his chair and began his Potions essay.

'_And an Honours award in Defence? Wow, I didn't think I did that well.'_

**~.~.~.~.~**

An hour later, and after a trip to the pantry for a snack, Harry had finally finished his Potions essay. Even though he knew Snape would find some way to belittle him and tell him it was nowhere near good enough, Harry was happy to have no more homework, save for McGonagall's short-and-to-the-point Transfiguration report paper.

There was another peck at the bedroom window.

'_Bloody hell, aren't I popular today?_'

Harry opened the window, and in flew an owl. One which Harry immediately recognized as Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl. The tiny bird zipped and zoomed above Harry's head before landing on his shoulder with a high-pitched hoot. Harry groaned and took the envelope from the annoying bird's beak. He began to read the letter, which was no doubt from Ron.

_Harry,_

_Hey to you too, mate! Aw, lots of work huh? I hope those damn Dursleys aren't treating you too badly. If they are, I might just have to come for a personal visit and set my mum on them- that'll teach them a thing or two. STOP blaming yourself for the Department of Mysteries, you great big prat! I'm fine, Hermione's fine, we're all fine. We went with you willingly, you know we would never let you do anything dangerous alone! You had no control over what happened. It was NOT your fault, mate. Seriously._

_My mum talked to Dumbledore, and he said he sent you a letter with the explanation. We're staying at Headquarters right now because mum thinks it's safer. You-Know-Who is on a rampage with the attacks right now. I added a clipping of an article from the Daily Prophet I thought you might want to see. The Order members are going to put up some powerful wards around the Burrow, for our own protection and so you can come stay with us once you get here and we go back._

_Colin Creevey huh? That sucks. I mean, he was incredibly annoying and I wished he would go away, but not like that. I don't want you to think for one second that it was your fault though! Not at all. You had no control over it, and what the Death Eaters do isn't your fault either._

_Now I have some bad news… First, about Hedwig. She got here, but only about 20 minutes ago. She took a long time. She was beaten up pretty badly when she got here, lots of scratch marks on her wings and some blood on her face. It seems like somebody was trying to intercept your message and make sure it never got here. Probably a Death Eater wanting information on how to get to you. At first Hedwig didn't look too bad, and my mum got her all patched up, but well… She's lost an eye. Whatever attacked her scratched her eye up real bad, and my mum said it would have to come out so it didn't kill her. Don't worry too much though, she's still happy and she can see with her good eye. I've seen a few one-eyed owls before. She's all fixed up and she's sleeping here. Moody went out to see if he could find who did it, you should have seen him! He was mad. We all thought it would be best if she stayed here so nothing else happened, and you can see her when you get here._

_There's more bad news. Well, not extremely bad I guess. Hermione's here too. She had to come back from Florida early. Death Eaters got over there and started attacking the city she and her parents were staying in. You-Know-Who's really stepping up his game. He's started attacking parts of America and the Caribbean now, looking for new recruits. Hermione's fine though, her parents went back to their home after Order members set up wards for them, and Hermione decided to stay here and wait for you-_

_**It's me Harry, Hermione! Ron's hogging all the parchment, and I can't owl you right now because my family's owl is getting old and isn't really up for delivering letters. I just wanted to say hi and that I can't wait to see you before Ron snatches the parchment back. Oh, here he goes-**_

_Hi again, mate. Yes, yes, Hermione says hi of course. That's all the bad news for today. Can't wait to see you! Fred and George will be here when you arrive in a few weeks to, they say they have something to give you. When you get here, Hermione and I want to compare OWL Results with you. Hermione did flawlessly of course, I hope you did well too!_

_Dudley being nice to you? Well, that's odd… But at least he's not trying to beat you up every time he sees you now. Good thing he thanked you, too. Least he could do for you practically saving his life!_

_Don't worry, Hedwig is in good hands. Send your reply back with Pig._

_See you soon,_

_Ron- __**And Hermione!**_

Harry dropped the letter on his desk and sank into the chair, in a state of deep shock. Hedwig was attacked? All because Harry asked her to deliver the letter in the first place… It was great relief to at least know she was OK and with Ron and Hermione at Grimmauld Place. Voldemort attacking Florida? That was odd, even for Tom. He found himself sighing in relief at the fact that Hermione was unharmed. What would he do if one of his best friends was hurt? However, it made sense that Tom was moving his targets to America and the Caribbean. He wanted more supporters, all the more better to come after Harry with an army.

Harry robotically picked up his simple eagle-feather quill and began his reply. He really wanted Pig out of his room, as the hyper owl was now zooming in figure-eight motions around the room, luckily keeping quiet. The last thing Harry wanted was his Aunt coming upstairs to yell at him about the bloody owl.

_Ron and Hermione,_

_I am fine. Really. Although I can't deny that having your mum yelling at my aunt would be amusing. I would be laughing for a week at the look on her face if that were to happen! I'm sorry for blaming myself so much about what happened, but I can't help but feel responsible for everything. I'm the prime target, after all._

_It's not a surprise that VOLDEMORT (seriously, start using his proper name), is moving his forces to America and the Caribbean. Obviously he's looking for more supporters and hoping to build up his army to intimidate us. I wouldn't worry though, Dumbledore always has an idea in one way or another. Old Tom won't stand a chance in the end. I'm really sorry your vacation was ruined Hermione, that's awful. You were there for a few days though, do you have any photos? I would love to see them when I get there. That's also great news that I can come to the Burrow when it's ready! I really do love it there. It's great that Fred and George will be there, too, I haven't seen them in a while._

_Don't worry, I'm not blaming myself for the Creevey's deaths. I know it's not my fault and that I can't control what the Death Eaters do, even though it's me they're after in the first place. Thank you so much for taking care of Hedwig. I can't believe that happened to her! I'm just glad to know that she's OK. Tell her I'm sorry and that I'll be there as soon as I can to see her._

_I can't wait to see both of you!_

_Of course we can compare OWLs. I'll bring mine. I did alright considering the circumstances of the year, but I got an O in Potions! I can hardly believe it, I guess the reason I do so poorly is because I have Snape watching my every move and giving me detention for breathing. Git._

_Yes, Dudley and I actually had fun. He kicked the ball a little too hard once and it smashed me in the forehead, but I'm fine and he apologized. Tonks showed up, too. She walked me back to Number Four and told me that Voldemort was getting more violent. I want you to both have your guard up, I don't need anything happening to you too._

_I'll see you both soon,_

_Harry_

_P.S. Thanks for keeping me updated with the Daily Prophet clipping. I'm going to look at it as soon as I'm done writing this. So, about now._

Harry finished the letter and removed the clipping from the Daily Prophet, setting it aside. He caught up to Pig and put the owl down on his window sill, tying the letter to his leg.

"Go on, Pig, take that back to Ron," Harry told the owl tiredly.

Pigwidgeon gave an incoherent, high-pitched hoot and flew out the window, heading out into the now-dark sky. Harry glanced at the clock and realized it was now 9:30pm. His Uncle would have gotten home a half hour ago, he was surprised that he hadn't been yelled at the get downstairs yet.

'_Oh, well, I might as well enjoy the peace while it lasts.'_

Harry picked up the Daily Prophet clipping and began to read, vaguely aware of pounding footsteps on the stairs and the sound of the door down the hall opening and closing. Dudley had just gotten home.

**Attack Rate and Death Toll Climbing Rapidly**

Just since You-Know-Who was reported to have returned in June by Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore, attacks and deaths have increased rapidly. The new Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, confirmed the return of You-Know-Who at the end of June. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and now-supposed Chosen One, was indeed not lying, and he and Dumbledore have been given a direct apology from the entire Ministry of Magic.

The recent attacks in Hogsmeade and other small wizard villages have left at least 30 people, many muggle-borns, dead and many others extensively injured. The recent attack that was reported from the American Association of Wizardry happened in Tallahassee, Florida, where muggles in many neighbourhoods there were killed. Sources claim that You-Know-Who is trying to strengthen his forces by moving attacks to America and the Caribbean, where he hopes to gain new supportters and build up his army. Another recent attack happened in the Caribbean as well, in the Mexican Caribbean area, where many other muggles were killed. The public is advised to be on guard, stay indoors whenever possible, and protect their home with any means possible. These are dangerous times.

Harry angrily slammed the article down on his desk then, seething with anger. He could hear some of the objects in his small bedroom shaking rapidly. He took a deep breath to try and calm down before something bad happened.

'_I HATE just sitting around here, being protected like a defenceless child, when there are people out there who need help! 30 muggles and muggle-borns-dead! Just like that. If Dumbledore didn't insist that I stay here, the lease I could do is be out there fighting,' _Harry thought, inexplicably becoming annoyed with the Headmaster.

Harry got up to look out the window, and was surprised at the sight. It was only 10:00 at night, yet the sky had become much foggier than it was at 5:00 when Harry and Dudley had gone out to the playground. The fog was so thick that Harry could barely see the illumination from the street lights. The sky was dark, and thunder rumbled every few minutes. Rain was lightly coming down, and the winds were blowing exceedingly fast, so fast that Harry thought he saw a small branch from a tree across the street break off and blow to the ground.

Definitely odd weather for the beginning of July.

"BOY! Get down here, this instant!" Came the unmistakable roar of Uncle Vernon.

'_Great, what does he want now? Going to blame me for the weather?' _Harry thought exasperatedly as he slowly made his way down the stairs. Vernon was sitting at the kitchen table, Petunia was sweeping in the corridor that lead to the basement, and Dudley was sitting in the living room, watching some sort of movie that Harry vaguely recognized. He decided to speak to Dudley first.

"What are you watching?" Harry asked, walking into the living room.

Dudley started, obviously unaware of Harry's presence until then. However, the chubby teenager immediately regained himself and smiled over his shoulder, "Um… It's Star Wars. Episode IV: A New Hope," Dudley said, showing the movie case to Harry.

"Er, right. I haven't seen that actually…" Harry started.

"You can come and watch it with me if you'd like. It just started-"

"BOY! I said come here, not talk to Dudley!" Uncle Vernon yelled from the kitchen.

"On second thought, maybe not," Dudley said, frowning.

Harry nodded to him and stepped into the kitchen, where he found his uncle with a rather red face and a deep scowl. He beckoned Harry to sit down, and as soon as Harry's bottom touched the chair, his uncle was already speaking.

"Look, boy, you've been here for almost two weeks and you've hardly done a thing. You're always holed up in that room of yours, and it's time you start earning your keep. That's why,"

He pulled out a sheet of lined paper, with a long list of no less than 10 chores on it.

"Petunia and I made a list of things we want you to do tomorrow. No excuses," Uncle Vernon finished, handing him the list. Harry took it and scanned it over.

_Weed the garden, mow the lawn, clean out the garage, sweep the hallways, clean up all the bedrooms, vacuum the carpets, sort out the pantry, clean out the cupboard under the staircase, wash the car-CAREFULLY, and touch up the paint on the back fence._

'_There's NO way I'm doing all this! I just got bombarded with bad news, my life is a mess right now, and they want me to-to do chores?! No,' _Harry thought, simmering with rage. He set the list down on the table and carefully regarded his uncle, who was watching expectantly.

"I will not do all these chores. I don't have time for this, you both have no idea what I've gone through and you are perfectly capable of handling all these things on your own! There's no logical reason why I have to do every-"

"NO BOY, YOU LISTEN! Your aunt and I agree that it's high time you started earning your keep around here! We will not allow you to slack off and lounge around here like it's your summer home! Now, you'd better do all these chores or you can forget about meal-"

A knock at the door swiftly silenced him.

"Who the hell would be knocking at a time like this? Bloody 10:30 at night…" Uncle Vernon muttered, going to open the door. Harry walked along behind him, standing at the landing of the stairs. His uncle could only open the door slightly, as the wind had picked up even more and the rain was now pounding down, but Harry could clearly see who it was. He was shocked.

There at the door stood Remus Lupin, looking more tired and weary than ever. He noticed Harry's stare and winked, while giving his uncle a cold smile.

"Wh-who are you?! Get out of here at once! You're one of THEM from the train station!" Vernon roared, jumping back and waving a hand at Remus. Harry stifled a laugh from seeing his uncle's now puce-coloured face.

"Yes, nice to see you too, Dursley. If you would, I need only a few moments to speak with Harry and then I will be on my way," Remus replied, swiftly stepping into the front hall.

Vernon looked fit to burst, but Aunt Petunia stepped in behind him and said in a steely voice, "Fine. You have five minutes," and began gently dragging her husband into the living room. Dudley had ran in there with them, his fear of wizards and a new pig's tail getting to him.

"Remus! It's great to see you. What brings you here so late?" Harry asked, shaking Remus's hand. Remus smiled warmly at him, but then his expression turned grim.

"Hello, Harry. I have a few things to tell you… First, Moody found out who attacked your owl. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. We weren't able to capture her for questioning, however it seems that some Death Eaters have been watching the house from afar occasionally and were waiting for a chance to get more information on you, which is why they attacked Hedwig. They figured if they could gain your letters, then they could find a way to breach the wards."

Harry turned oddly silent and regarded Remus with an angry expression. It was not directed at him, but directed at Bellatrix.

'_That woman has ruined my life enough! Now she's attacking my owl?!'_

"Before you storm out of here on a rampage, Harry, remember that Hedwig is OK. Secondly, I know we weren't going to get you for the next two weeks, on the 30th, but taking recent events into account, Dumbledore has reason to believe Voldemort may be planning an attack on Privet Drive any day now. He can't attack this house directly, but he can attack neighbours and make sure some of the damage reaches here. We want to get you out before that happens."

"Alright… But, what about the Dursleys? The neighbours?" Harry asked.

"You didn't let me finish. Moody, Nymphadora, Kingsley, and I will be here to escort you to Headquarters tomorrow night at 11:00pm sharp. We'll be going by broom again, so have your Firebolt ready. We can't apparate and Portkeys can be too easily detected by the Ministry. Dumbledore has arranged for other Aurors to be stationed around this neighbourhood to ensure the safety of the muggles. Don't worry," Remus added, seeing Harry's concerned look, "Everything will be fine."

"Thank you, Remus. No matter how much I hate the Dursleys, I don't want the Death Eaters to get them. I wouldn't wish that on anybody. I'll get my stuff ready and be prepared to leave at 11:00 tomorrow night," Harry said, smiling slightly.

"You take care until then, Harry. Stay alert, and if anything suspicious happens, make sure you contact me or someone else from the Order as soon as you can. Now…" Remus said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder and peering into his face, "You are OK, aren't you?"

Harry understood. Remus wanted to make sure Harry was dealing with Sirius's death well enough. Truth be told, Harry knew he was still a mess. He still blamed himself. He missed Sirius dearly. Harry didn't know what to say, although he was touched by Remus's concern for him.

'_I don't want to worry him. That would make things worse,' _Harry thought.

"I-I'm fine, Remus. Really. It's hard, and I miss him lots… But I'm dealing with it. I'll be OK," Harry said, smiling so Remus could truly see that he was fine.

"Alright, Harry. If you say so. I miss him too, if it helps. We were best friends. But it was not your fault in the slightest, and I don't want you to ever think that," Remus told him, heading for the door.

"Bye, Harry."

"Bye, Remus."

With that, Remus walked out the door and gently closed it behind him. The rain was pounding harder than ever, and the thunder rumbling. Lightning occasionally lit up the windows. Harry made his way upstairs, not really feeling like facing his relatives again.

He had enough troubling thoughts to deal with for the moment.

* * *

A/N: Alright, there's the incredibly early chapter 2! I hope you enjoyed. I have great news… Today was my last day of school! Yippy! Now all I have to do is make it through a Science AND Math exam on Friday… Stupid Muggle School! If you have any more pairing ideas, let me know and most importantly…. KEEP THE REVIEWS COMING PRETTY PLEASE! Have a lovely day.

Please Note: Harry's OWL scores were taken directly from the book, but I changed his E in Potions to an O. Reasons are my own, but it's no big deal is it? Nope.


	3. Down in Flames

**Harry Potter and the Power of One**

**Chapter 3: Down in Flames**

A/N: Here's chapter 3! Thank you to all my new reviewers! I've thought about it and… This WILL eventually become a Harry/Hermione story. Nothing explicit. It will be slow-developing, as in they will probably not officially get together until chapter 6-10. For now, enjoy chapter 3!

jakefan: Hmm, I guess you could say that. But this will be a lot different than what happened in DH, just wait!

jkarr: Don't worry… I think I can make that painful death happen eventually *insert maniacal laugh here*

Guest: Thanks so much! Yes, I don't like the stories that have so much angst in them. Also, I do find it better for Hermione to spend some time with her parents instead of ALWAYS being with Harry and Ron somewhere.

Man of Constant Sorrow: Thank you! Your compliments mean so much to me! I agree, I always believed Dumbledore cared about Harry a lot and it came as a great shock to me in DH when they made him seem like nothing but a manipulator. Enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I am a Canadian High School student. Definitely nothing close to the brilliance that is Joanne Kathleen Rowling. I'm sure my mediocre work will never reach anywhere near her masterpieces. All rights for anything recognizable from the Harry Potter books belongs to her, not me.

* * *

Harry awoke the next day, refreshed from a good night's sleep. Or as close as Harry Potter could get to a good sleep. Aside from one nightmare involving Sirius in the Department of Mysteries, nothing bothered Harry from the night. The nightmare, however, was still fresh in his mind.

_Harry was walking through a thick white fog, which seemed to go on into an empty abyss of nothingness. He called out multiple times for anyone who could help him, but got no answer. He was alone._

"_Hello! Is anybody there? Where am I?"_

_Suddenly, the scene shifted and Harry found himself in the Department of Mysteries. This time it was different. Everything was brightly lit and blurred, and no people moved about. It was just Harry and the Veil. The Veil fluttered, calling to him, and he took a step closer. Then he heard Sirius's voice, calling him from the Dias._

"_Harry? Is that you? Come and find me!"_

"_Sirius! Where are you? I can't see," Harry replied._

"_I'm in the Veil. Come in and get me. After all, it's YOUR fault that this all happened in the first place," Sirius yelled back._

_That stung Harry to his core, of course he felt guilty, but having Sirius directly blame him hurt his conscience more than he would care to admit._

"_I'm coming, Sirius! I'm sorry… I'm going to get you out."_

"_Run, run, as fast as you can Potter…"_

_Harry was inches from touching the Veil when the name "Potter" stopped him. Sirius would never call him that, neither in life nor death. Even out of anger, Sirius would always call him Harry. It could only be…_

_The scene shifted, and Harry found himself face-to-face with the serpentine features of Lord Voldemort himself. Harry stifled a scream and stood still._

"_Time's up, Potter…" Voldemort said with a glint in his malevolent eyes. He raised his wand._

The dream ended there, and Harry couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Voldemort had never appeared in any of his dreams like that before. It seemed almost real. His scar had gave a twinge of pain for a short second after he had woken up as well, something that hadn't happened for months. Harry assumed he should tell somebody, but since he was going to Grimmauld Place tonight, he would just wait and tell an Order member when he got there.

'_Better yet, I should ask Hermione. She should know a thing or two about it as well,' _Harry thought.

Harry threw on some jeans and his Weasley jumper, then made his way slowly down the stairs. Facing the morning attitude of his aunt and uncle definitely wasn't something he was eager on doing.

"Er, good morning…" Harry said awkwardly, walking into the kitchen.

"Have a seat." His aunt said coolly, while his uncle simply nodded in his direction. Dudley was already seated at the table and looking over at him expectantly. Harry chose the seat next to him.

"Good morning, Harry," Dudley muttered. Of course, Petunia and Vernon wouldn't be happy about their precious son actually socializing with Harry in a nice manner.

Harry smiled subtly at Dudley while his aunt put a small portion of eggs and ham on to his plate. Harry grabbed the pitcher of orange juice and poured himself a small glass before starting the topic of conversation he knew should be addressed.

"Er, well, you know the man that came to talk to me last night? He said I'm leaving early. Instead of the 30th, I'm getting picked up tonight at 11:00."

"Why is that, boy?" His uncle grunted through a mouthful of eggs.

"Well… You know the one called Voldemort that everyone is trying to protect me from? The reason I was brought here in the first place?" Harry asked.

His uncle nodded reluctantly, not liking the topic of magic. His aunt, however said, "Yes. The reason Lily died, the one that killed her and James… What about him?"

Harry swallowed a sip of orange juice. "Well, the Headmaster of my school, Dumbledore, he has reason to believe there will be an attack here sometime soon."

"WHAT? So you can leave and allow this-this thing to bring unnatural filth to our home? We've done nothing wrong to deserve an attack. You, however…" His uncle exploded.

Harry cut him off before he could go any further. "There will be Aurors stationed in the neighbourhood-they're like police-and they will protect the house. I suggest you go along with it, unless you want to be killed," Harry told them, grabbing his glass of orange juice and heading upstairs once again. He really didn't feel like dealing with his relative's stubbornness.

'_Maybe if they'd just listen to me once in a while, they would have more knowledge about what we're all really up against.'_

With that thought, Harry reached his bedroom, shut the door, and sat down to begin his Transfiguration report.

**~.~.~.~.~**

Over an hour and 3,000 words later, Harry set his quill down and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. It was now noon, yet the weather could have fooled anyone. It was still dark and stormy, rain pouring down and occasionally turning into hail. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the wind blew so fiercely that Harry feared the wall would get ripped away.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Harry called tiredly.

The door opened to reveal none other than Dudley Dursley. He peered into the room before stepping in and closing the door quietly behind him. "Um, hi Harry… What are you doing?" He asked, keeping his gaze firmly on the window above Harry's head.

"Just some homework, but I've finished."

"Your lot get homework? You know, my parents would never agree with this, but they don't have to know… I want to learn more about what your school is like. You know, m-magic," Dudley stuttered horribly.

"Really? Well I suppose I could tell you a little… And yes, I do get homework," Harry replied skeptically.

"I've always been kind of curious since you got the letter four years ago…" Dudley muttered as he tentatively took a seat on the edge of Harry's bed.

"Er, well- My school is kind of like normal school. We go to classes, have breaks, lunch time… Of course, we live there for the year so we also have dormitories and get breakfast and dinner," Harry added. "We don't do things like maths and geography, though. We have classes like Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions-which is kind of like chemistry- and Defence."

"Transfiguration?" Dudley questioned, looking enticed.

'Yeah. It's a form of magic where we learn to turn objects into different objects. When we've mastered that, we move on to turning animals into objects, and vice versa."

"That sounds cool! I kind of wish I could do that," Dudley stated dreamily.

"Well, if you'd like, you can take a look through my Transfiguration textbook. I have it right here," Harry said, pulling it out from under the various pieces of parchment scattered around his desk.

"Wow, thanks Harry! I'll bring it back when I'm done," Dudley said, taking the textbook from Harry's outstretched hand. "And… I know I've never told you this before, but it's only come to light for me recently. I don't agree with the way my parents treat you. You… You aren't a freak."

Bewildered would have been and understatement to what Harry felt right then. Even though Dudley had asked him to play football the other day, and he had been somewhat nice, Harry never thought Dudley would go as far as to show interest in wizardry. To add to that, Dudley had just disagreed with something his parents said?!

'_How much weirder could my life get?' _Harry thought bemusedly.

"Thanks, Dudley. I guess you're not so bad either."

They both smiled, and then Dudley quietly left the room, obviously not wanting his parents to even _think _he had something to read about magic. The looks on their faces would be priceless, though…

Harry shook his head and grinned.

One thought was nagging in the back of his mind-why hadn't he gotten a reply from Ron and Hermione yet? Usually they were lightning fast when it came to replying to Harry's letters. Unless the Order was worried that a Death Eater would try and attack Pigwidgeon like they had Hedwig. Yes, that made sense.

"Boy! Get down here for a second!" Came the shriek of Aunt Petunia.

Harry sighed and trudged down the stairs. Any time his aunt called him downstairs it was to either do chores or cook them a meal. He reached the landing and walked into the living room, where his aunt and uncle were sat on the sofa. They motioned for Harry to take a seat as well.

"Look, we know you're leaving tonight, but there's still a list of things to be done. If you're not going to do all of them, at least do a thing or two to help out around here before you go!" Aunt Petunia scolded. Uncle Vernon nodded in agreement.

"And you're sure that you leaving won't cause that Lord Voldy-what's-it to come here and do some damage?" His uncle huffed.

"I can't promise you he won't show up, but like I said there will be Aurors around here to stop them," Harry answered, "Now if you'll excuse me, I guess I'll go clean the cupboard out. I have nothing better to do anyways. Might as well make sure I left nothing in there."

With that, his relatives turned back to the television, and Harry made his way to his childhood bedroom.

**~.~.~.~.~**

It was just as he remembered it, yet much more claustrophobic and small. Harry had grown quite a bit since he was ten years old, so he had to duck down low to walk through the small door. He recognized the few items he had left there immediately.

On the shelf above the small mattress sat the small action figures of knights and horses that he used to play with, and on the floor lay a small t-shirt with the slogan, '_I'm a superhero, but don't tell anybody,' _on it. Harry chuckled. Dudley used to wear it all the time, and when it had gotten too small, Harry had gotten it. As usual.

A small blanket with stars also lay on the mattress, which Harry immediately grabbed. This blanket hadn't come from Dudley, in fact it hadn't come from the Dursleys at all. Harry remembered having the small baby blanket since he had lived at Privet Drive, so he assumed it was a blanket that Dumbledore might have left with him when he was left on the doorstep.

Harry gathered all of the small figurines, the shirt, and the blanket before turning the dim light in the cupboard off and closing the door. He walked back up the stairs and into his room, depositing the items on his bed.

'_I should probably pack my things and get ready to leave tonight. I want to get out of here as soon as possible,' _Harry thought. So he began.

Harry grabbed all of his textbooks and piled them in one side of his trunk. He then grabbed his spare parchment, his quills, and the majority of his wardrobe and sorted them all out into various places of his trunk. In the back compartment, he put the figurines, the shirt, and the blanket for safe-keeping. Even if he didn't particularly enjoy his childhood, he wanted to keep some reminders. As he was about the close his trunk, his finger brushed over something sharp. Ouch.

Small trickles of blood escaping his now-cut finger, Harry lifted out the culprit. It was a shard of the mirror. The mirror he got last year. The mirror that could have changed the outcome of the Department of Mysteries. The mirror that could have saved Sirius. Sirius…

'_If only I had just remembered to use this, I would have known Sirius was OK and none of the battle would have happened. I wouldn't have put all those people in danger, and Sirius would still be alive…' _Harry thought miserably, a small tear trickling down his cheek. He hastily wiped it away before shoving the shard back into his trunk and closing it with a loud thud. He then walked over and grabbed his Firebolt, setting it atop the trunk, before sinking on to his bed.

There was a knock at the door, and Harry immediately knew who it was.

"Come in, Dudley," Harry said emotionlessly.

Dudley walked in, grinning and carrying Harry's Transfiguration textbook. He set it down on top of Harry's trunk and then sat down on the bed beside Harry.

'Sorry I took so long with it, but I was also trying to tidy up my room so mum didn't yell at me to clean it again," Dudley said sheepishly.

'_Took so long? Wait, I gave him that just after noon… What time is it?'_ He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and realized with a jolt that it was already 4:00 in the afternoon. He had been cleaning out the cupboard and sorting things out for much longer than he thought. He hadn't even had any lunch, not that that was a big deal.

"It was so cool! I never knew a freak sch-oh sorry, habit- a _magic _school would be so interesting. So what else do you do, huh?" Dudley asked excitedly.

Harry got up and quickly threw the Transfiguration textbook into his trunk before sitting back down on the bed. "Well, if you liked that then I guess I can tell you a little more…"

**~.~.~.~.~**

"DINNER!"

The shout from Vernon startled Harry, who had just finished cleaning up his room. If he was leaving, he might as well clean up so he didn't have to do it when he came back next summer. Dudley had left only minutes earlier, not wanting to be caught in Harry's room by his parents. They definitely wouldn't like that.

Harry made his way downstairs, grabbed a plate from the counter, and took a seat at the table between Petunia and Dudley. Dudley, predictably, was already stuffing his face with the salad and pork chops on his plate. Harry took a small portion of salad and the smallest pork chop. He really wasn't hungry.

"Petunia and Dudley, I propose a toast. To the boy leaving early for once!" Vernon raised his glass of alcohol. Petunia politely raised her glass of wine, while Dudley uncertainly raised his glass of Pepsi-Cola, shooting Harry an apologetic look. Harry simply rolled his eyes at the whole scene.

After the quiet and awkward dinner was finally over, Harry seized the opportunity and dashed his way up the stairs. It was now 6:00, only five hours until the Order would be there to get him. Excited was an understatement to the elated mood Harry was in.

Until the world split.

Harry's scar gave a tremendous burst of pain, so intense that Harry stuttered backwards on the second-to-top step and nearly fell. He squeezed his eyes shut and gorged the heels of his hands to his forehead as if it would make the blinding pain go away. Maybe it worked. As soon as it had happened, it stopped. Harry tentatively opened his eyes and climbed the last step on the staircase, walking slowly down the hallway and rubbing his scar frantically.

Harry sat at his bed and thought about all the possible meanings it could have. The scar had never hurt before unless Voldemort was up to something, or he was nearby Harry. The last option wouldn't make sense, as Harry had been told time and time again that Voldemort could not enter the wards as long as Harry called the place home. So, what Voldemort up to some sort of scheme somewhere else?

'_Maybe it was nothing. There was no vision, and he wasn't trying to possess me.'_

'_But, what if he's torturing people right now? Shouldn't someone do something about it?'_

'_Well, I can't do anything now. I'll just tell Dumbledore about it as soon as I get to Grimmauld Place,' _Harry conceded, lying back on to his pillows.

Peaceful darkness followed soon after.

**~.~.~.~.~**

Harry awoke with a start, eyes immediately flying to the clock on his table. It glared back at him in his now-dark room, _10:54pm. _He had been asleep for nearly five hours! The Order would be there in six minutes! Harry thanked all the gods he knew that he hadn't slept any later.

'_How did I even fall asleep?' _Harry thought. That scar attack must have made him more tired than he thought.

Harry hastily gathered his extra things and glanced out the window. It was still dark and gloomy. Dark clouds hung in the air and thunder still occasionally rumbled. There was no more lightning, and the wind seemed to have died down. However, there was an eerie chill in the air that made the hairs on the back of Harry's neck stand up. He got an uneasy feeling. Harry quickly shook it off, picked up his trunk and Firebolt, and ran down the stairs.

The downstairs hallway was dark and empty. The Dursleys were asleep, obviously hoping that they wouldn't have to see Harry again and that they would wake up to his disappearance. Harry grimaced slightly. He moved to the front door and set his things down, waiting for the Order to arrive.

There was a frantic pounding on the front door, and Harry hastily opened it. It was not who he was expecting.

There stood Mrs Figg, looking horrified and distraught. She wildly gestured for him to grab his trunk and he did. She then grabbed his arm and dragged him out the front door. Harry was beyond confused.

"Perimeter shield… The Order's been delayed… Oh, got to get you out of here," she was muttering to herself.

Harry skidded to a halt. "Wait, what's happening?"

"Look," Mrs Figg said, gesturing to the outlying street. There in various parts of the street laid the Auror guards. They weren't dead, but seemed to be deeply unconscious. The eerie chill in the air picked up. "_They _are here. They erected a perimeter shield. The Order may be delayed by a few minutes. There's no time to waste, we need to get you out of here!"

"Bu-but what about the neighbours? The Dursleys? I can't just leave them all here!" Harry said desperately.

"Harry! There's no time, you need to leave! It's you they're after-"

A bone-chilling cackle stopped her mid-sentence. Harry drew his wand, and they both frantically looked around. In the air above them, there were at least ten Death Eaters on brooms. They all had their wands drawn, but they weren't exactly looking at him.

"_Thisss will be fun, Potter!"_ Bellatrix cackled madly. She and the rest of the Death Eaters flew over Harry and Mrs Figg, directly towards Number Four. Before Harry could even properly aim a curse or run back to protect the house, they started incanting.

"_INCENDIO!" _The fire-making charm came from each of their wands, aimed at each part of the house. The Dursleys still inside, unsuspecting, innocent…

"NO!" Harry screamed, attempting a mad dash to the house. Mrs Figg, with strength he never suspected she had, easily held him back by grabbing both his arms and continuing to drag him down the street toward her home.

"I'm sorry, Harry. They don't deserve that kind of death, but we're too late, and I can't risk you running in there. They would kill you in a heartbeat," Mrs Figg told him sadly. Harry broke away from her hold and grabbed his trunk, staring sadly at the house that was his "home" for so long, which was now alight with flames and burning rapidly.

The sounds of the Dursleys screams began piercing the air, but it wasn't long before they were silent again.

Two of the Death Eaters tore their attention away from Number Four and flew back over to Harry and Mrs Figg. It was Bellatrix Lestrange and a seemingly new recruit Harry didn't recognize. Harry's blood boiled.

"You killed them, for no reason… I'LL KILL YOU!" Harry screamed, pointing his wand at her.

"Oh, really Potter? I'd love to see you try," Bellatrix said sweetly. Before Harry even uttered a spell, she had the upper hand.

"_CRUCIO!"_

Harry's body felt like it was on fire, white-hot knives piercing every inch of his skin. He gritted his teeth and doubled over, determined not to give them the satisfaction of hearing him scream. He sank to his knees, and the curse was lifted, leaving him panting on the ground.

"Harry! Poor dear, what did she do to you?" Mrs Figg yelled, putting a hand on his shoulder. He tried to smile, but it turned into a pained grimace.

"Your help won't be needed for much longer, old lady. I believe his time is up," said the other Death Eater in a heavy Scottish accent. He aimed his wand at Harry, who was in no shape to duel now. He had dropped his wand when under the Cruciatus Curse.

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

Harry closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable. Any second now… He would be dead, but he would see Sirius again. Yes, Sirius would be there.

Nothing came.

Harry heard a shout, someone standing in front of him, and the thud of something heavy hitting the pavement. Harry didn't want to open his eyes, for he knew what he would see when he opened them. He tentatively opened one eye…

There lay Mrs Figg, her hands held out in an act of defiance. Her eyes were open, staring into oblivion. She had jumped in front of the Killing Curse for him. She had died for him. Another person dead all for Harry Potter. Harry hated himself more than ever, wishing he could just crawl under a rock and die at that very moment. First Cedric, then Sirius, then the Dursleys, and now Mrs Figg…

'_This is all my fault. Everything. If I didn't exist, all these people would have been much better off. They wouldn't be in danger right now.'_

"_IMPEDIMENTA!"_

"_REDUCTO!"_

"_STUPEFY!"_

"_PROTEGO!"_

Familiar voices pierced through Harry's shrouded mind. Before he could even blink, the Death Eaters were all being stopped in their tracks. Bellatrix was stunned and then blown away from Harry, and all the others as well. The street was half-blown apart, and Harry would have been blasted away as well if not for the protective blue light of the shield charm surrounding him and Mrs Figg's body.

Figures on brooms descended to land beside Harry, and Harry looked up to see the familiar faces of Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Hestia Jones, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Mad-eye Moody. All of them looked concerned. "You're alright, aren't you? You're shaking like a leaf!" Remus said, moving to peer into Harry's face. Harry weakly smiled at him.

Realization dawned on Remus's face at once. "They used the Cruciatus Curse on you, didn't they?"

Harry nodded and shakily stood up. "Yeah, only once though. Don't worry, I'm fine. Really," He added, seeing the disbelieving look on all their faces.

"But the Dursleys… Mrs Figg…" Harry added helplessly, looking over at the house, the flames now being extinguished by other Aurors that had arrived. He then looked down at the body of a woman who had treated him horribly in his childhood, but had really been trying to protect him all along.

'_After Dudley and I were finally getting along, this happens. Now Mrs Figg as well… Who next? Ron, Hermione? No. I won't let them be killed. Even if it means sacrificing myself, NOBODY else is going to die for me,' _Harry thought.

Remus smiled sympathetically at him and put a hand on his shoulder. Tonks stepped up beside him. "We know, Harry. If only we had gotten here sooner… But no more thinking about that. It's not your fault. You couldn't have done anything. Mrs Figg shielded you willingly, remember that," Tonks told him. Harry could only nod in response.

"Yes, yes, it is sad. But for now, we better get you out of here, Potter. They won't stay stunned for long," Moody said, signalling them all to get on their brooms. Tonks took Harry's trunk and strapped it into the harness on her broom once again, while Harry robotically grabbed his broom and grabbed on. They all stood in a line.

"Same formation as last time, don't break ranks. You-Know-Who's bound to have something else up his sleeve tonight. Stay alert, and remember: Keep Potter safe," Moody instructed. Everyone nodded silently.

"Right them, 1… 2…-"

The world split again, except this time it wasn't just Harry who could hear the cold, snake-like voice. His scar was pounding and he clamped both hands to his forehead in an effort to subdue the ache. The Order members were glancing at him worriedly, while occasionally looking around frantically. The voice of Lord Voldemort drifted through the air around them. Somehow, even though he wasn't near them physically, he was projecting his voice to them.

"_You have fought valiantly, Order of the Phoenix. I am surprised you managed to take out my Death Eaters. I must say, I am reluctantly impressed. However, you will behold your wasted efforts tonight. The Potter boy is mine, you cannot keep him safe forever. Now, Potter, I speak directly to you. You may be able to handle the Death Eaters, but I know your weaknesses… Can you handle THESE?"_

The voice faded out and a cold chill filled the air again. Though the rain had stopped, the clouds lingered and the chill increased with every second. Soon, everyone was shivering on their brooms. That chill could only be brought on by one thing.

"Dementors, should have known… Alright, take off NOW!" Moody shouted.

Everyone kicked off into the chilled sky. They were flying the same way as last time, Harry in the middle, someone in front, someone in back, and everyone else flying in circles around him. Harry shuddered. How many more people would die for him tonight? He wouldn't be able to handle any more deaths.

Just then, ice began forming at the tip of Harry's Firebolt. Ahead of them, at least fifty black-cloaked figures floated in the air, ready to take souls away. The Order members had all drawn their wands and began chanting Patronus charms, but Harry was stuck, floating in the memories that so deeply haunted him. He couldn't even move any more.

'_Not Harry, please, not my baby! Take me, kill me instead!'_

'_Lily, go, hide. I'll hold him off. Take Harry and RUN!'_

'_SIRIUS! SIRIUS!'_

'_You can't save him, Harry, there's nothing you can do. He's dead.'_

_A flash of green light…_

"HARRY! HARRY! What are you doing?"

The shout from the Order made Harry snap back to reality. He was shivering violently, and he realized with horror that his broom had descended and he was only centimetres away from diving into the river. He hastily pulled up, just in time. However, he had gotten very far away from his guard, and he was being surrounded by the Dementors. Obviously, it was he they were after.

Time seemed to slow down. Harry drew his wand, but he could hardly keep it steady enough to draw forth his Patronus with his. The Dementors were drawing nearer and nearer. There was nothing he could do… He couldn't save himself this time. The Order members were rushing towards him, releasing their Patronuses, but the Dementors just wouldn't give in.

"Ex-ex-p-pecto…" He couldn't even finish.

They had drawn so close to him that he could feel their unearthly breath on his face. He struggled to move away, but they were pressing closer and closer to him. There was no escape. Harry screwed his eyes shut and waited for the inevitable.

"_I told you, Potter, there's no escaping me. Goodbye, Potter…" _Voldemort's snake-like hiss filled Harry's mind. He gasped.

There was a flash of bright white light, screams from around him… Then his mind became foggy and everything became distorted.

Harry no longer heard anything at all.

* * *

A/N: Dun, dun, dun! Perfect cliff-hanger right there. The next chapter will come soon! I had plenty of time to sit and do this one. I finished exams yesterday and today is all rainy and gross outside… So there was nothing for me to do besides this.

Please review! Thank you very much, and I hope you all have a great day!


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